Listening Church

The Listening Church project creates space for hearing Mennonite LGBTQ people speak about their experiences in Mennonite Church Canada congregations. Drawing on the wisdom of their experiences in the church the participants share insights for the church as it discerns how to faithfully relate to those in our community who identify as other than heterosexual.

From February to August 2015, Darryl Neustaedter Barg and Irma Fast Dueck, travelled across Canada interviewing various LGBTQ folk in the pews of the Mennonite churches they were connected to. This 30 minute video represents only a part of the rich conversations that were had along the way.

The Listening Church project came as a request from Mennonite Church Canada’s Being a Faithful Church process. During the discernment process the BFC task force received a clear request for the voice of the LGBTQ community in our congregations.

Our conversations specifically concentrated on three areas:

we asked people to describe their experiences as LGBTQ people in the Mennonite church.

we asked people why being part of the church was important to them.

we asked folk to share any wisdom they had from their own experience that they could share with the church as the church discerns how to faithfully relate to those who identify as other than heterosexual.